Board of Supervisors Lay Over RTA Resolution

This meeting of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors featured the much debated resolution regarding the proposed Regional Transit Authority. Supervisors Michael Mayo, Toni Clark, and John Weishan led the efforts to pass a resolution rejecting the RTA’s proposal. They raised concerns regarding the proposed governance structure of the RTA, and that not all of Racine would be included in the taxing area. In addition to these concerns Supervisor Clark added that she doesn’t want the RTA “take our authority away, and then took aim at the RTA’s proposed use of a sales tax funding source saying, “all of a sudden they have a novel idea.”

Speaking in support of laying the resolution over, Supervisor Chris Larson pointed to Milwaukie, Oregon, a town of about 20,000 residents, as an example of city that has been able to move forward with new rail service while Milwaukee, Wisconsin hasn’t been able to move forward because of a lack of action. He also argued that with the pending federal stimulus package that if Milwaukee County doesn’t find a local funding source it will lose out on millions in federal dollars.

Looking beyond the concerns raised by other board members Supervisor Pat Jursik moved to lay the resolution over. She argued that the resolution in its current form took such a negative tone and that by laying the resolution over the board could put together a resolution stating Milwaukee County’s position in better terms. The resolution was laid over on a vote of 7 to 12.